Even over here there's been discussion about how the media has claimed the election was too close to call even though Silver has said for months that Obama had something like an 80% chance to win. Can't imagine that debate going away now, or that it shouldn't be even more important in the US.

Which is pretty incredible if the widespread reports of Republican enthusiasm and GOTV reaching levels not seen in at least a decade are accurate...perhaps it goes to show we cannot lose 70%+ of the minority vote anymore.

Paxen wrote:So how about Nate Silver getting every single state right?

Even over here there's been discussion about how the media has claimed the election was too close to call even though Silver has said for months that Obama had something like an 80% chance to win. Can't imagine that debate going away now, or that it shouldn't be even more important in the US.

Paxen wrote:So how about Nate Silver getting every single state right?

Even over here there's been discussion about how the media has claimed the election was too close to call even though Silver has said for months that Obama had something like an 80% chance to win. Can't imagine that debate going away now, or that it shouldn't be even more important in the US.

He started as baaseball statistics guy and faced the same push back and counter-arguments there that he did in politics. Numbers don't tell you everything, sometimes the gut test tells you more, etc. Just a bunch of old schoolers fighting against the young upstart in glasses.

The best part, as was pointed out, was he dabbles in probability. If Romney won he'd still be right as his model predicted a Romney win ~10% of the time.

We live in a society where people born on third base constantly try to steal second, yet we expect people born with two strikes against them to hit a homerun on the first pitch.

I think the most important thing to look at here is what happened with Congress:

Democrats won every single Senate race that was competitive. Every single one. They expanded their Senate Majority by 2 seats, plus 1 additional Independent who caucuses with them.

In the House of Representatives, Republicans are trying to point to the fact that they retained their majority as evidence that there is no clear mandate in this election, but the Democrats gains seats there as well. It looks like the Democrats will gain a total of about 10 seats. The Democrats had needed 25 seats to flip to gain the majority, but they were fighting uphill due to the fact that when all the Tea Party candidates were swept in in the 2010 mid-term elections a large number of State legislatures turned Republican as well, just in time to get to redraw all the district lines following the 2010 census. The Republican state legislatures happily gerrymandered the new districts for all they were worth, shoring up their weakest candidates and making many safe democrat seats exposed. The fact that Democrats not only defeated this move, but made gains in the house in the face of it, speaks volumes.Many Tea Party freshmen representatives were thrown out of office. Even Michelle Bachmann barely held onto her seat by the skin of her teeth.

So the GOP can bitterly fight to the death and continue to refuse to compromise if they want to. But it is likely to be a losing strategy. The tide of disgust will likely continue in the next mid-term election 2 years from now.

Not to mention, the Democrats hold all the initiative. The Fiscal Cliff is coming. If the House Republicans refuse to compromise, the Democrats can simply let current law go into effect, and then just legislate middle class tax cuts immediately after the fact to make their agenda occur anyway. Republicans would suffer more from sequestration than Democrats would, so their hands are tied.Meanwhile, Obamacare and Dodd-Frank financial regulation will go ahead as planned, with little the Republicans can do to stop it.

The popular vote (which Republican commentators were trying to take solace in prior to the West Coast being counted) has a 3 million lead for Obama and climbing.Obama won by large margins in every single major demographic except rural white people over 45.

There is about as clear a mandate as you would ever likely see in American politics.The GOP is going into an existential crisis. They have to do something, because the tide of demographics is against them, and will only get worse. If they stay the current course, they risk irrelevance.

Theckhd wrote:big numbers are the in-game way of expressing that Brekkie's penis is huge.

I heard that in many districts, the fastest-growing segment of the voting population (Hispanics) was 70% or greater in favour of Obama. That's devastating to the Republicans and will take generations to correct.

I think America has shown we are a two party system. Given that, I think its time for one of the parties to disappear. I would be fine with Republicans going away and making room for Libertarians. At least Democrats continue to stand for what they've always stood for, Republicans not so much.

Melathys wrote:I think America has shown we are a two party system. Given that, I think its time for one of the parties to disappear. I would be fine with Republicans going away and making room for Libertarians. At least Democrats continue to stand for what they've always stood for, Republicans not so much.

Much more likely to see a schism in the Republican party if the Serious Policy People ever stand up to the Social Issue Wing. Currently at this stalemate where the SPP pander to the SIW for votes and money but never really accomplishes anything the SIW wants done at a federal level.

We live in a society where people born on third base constantly try to steal second, yet we expect people born with two strikes against them to hit a homerun on the first pitch.

Klaudandus wrote:Some of the right wing websites are going full derp mode after the election --

I've taken to unsubscribing from friends/relatives that are doing similar. Maybe not quite to the extent of the Tweets above, but Obama is officially in for another 4 years... get over it. Better yet... find a better candidate for next time.

Melathys wrote:At least Democrats continue to stand for what they've always stood for

Like slavery? ( I kid, I kid! The parties really have changed drastically over the decades, though.)

Seriously though, the Republican Party does need to make some major changes if they want to win another Presidential election. Unless they just want to sit back and hope for the economy failing and a reactionary backlash against the Dems propelling them into the White House.

And in terms of full on "derping it" I just read something that makes me sad. The Election has taken someone that I thought was at least semi rational, even if extremely conservative, and based on their comments has turned them into a "prepper". ugh. I am genuinely sad about it.

Wow, I didnt know Karl Rove was the guy behind the American Crossroads SuperPAC -- you know, the one with the ad that has that lady that is sitting in her massive kitchen with granite countertops, recessed bay windows, and french doors as she watches the President speak on her flat-screen kitchen television … and then watches him again on her iPad -- and says her family can't afford four more years of "this"

Skye1013 wrote:I've taken to unsubscribing from friends/relatives that are doing similar. Maybe not quite to the extent of the Tweets above, but Obama is officially in for another 4 years... get over it. Better yet... find a better candidate for next time.

I have an aunt who is literally praying to God on FB over this shit. It's all I can do to keep from saying something, I'm like... seriously?

I was also pleasantly surprised to find that the Deep South (Alabama/Mississippi) were actually pretty close to 50/50, not just overwhelming Mitt support.

Brekkie:Tanks are like shitty DPS. And healers are like REALLY distracted DPSAmirya:Why yes, your penis is longer than his because you hit 30k dps in the first 10 seconds. But guess what? That raid boss has a dick bigger than your ego. Flex:I don't make mistakes. I execute carefully planned strategic group wipes.Levie:(in /g) It's weird, I have a collar and I dont know where I got it from, Worgen are kinky!Levie:Drunk Lev goes and does what he pleases just to annoy sober Lev.Sagara:You see, you need to *spread* the bun before you insert the hot dog.

And in terms of full on "derping it" I just read something that makes me sad. The Election has taken someone that I thought was at least semi rational, even if extremely conservative, and based on their comments has turned them into a "prepper". ugh. I am genuinely sad about it.